What’s a film fan to do when you’re up at 5 in the morning and the cable’s not working? For MovieFanFare reader Bill Dunphy, it means popping in a random DVD. His pick: the 1966 Cold War comedy The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.

This week’s debut of the TV miniseries Texas Rising makes it the perfect time to “remember” writer Irv Slifkin’s classic look back at the 1960 frontier drama The Alamo, director/star John Wayne’s stirring tribute to the 1836 Lone Star State battle.

This month marks the 70th anniversary of V-E Day and the end of the Third Reich…but what if Der Fuehrer’s noggin lived on in a glass jar in Central America? In a classic Dr. Strangefilm case file, our bad movie specialist diagnoses They Saved Hitler’s Brain.

To mark Ann-Margret’s 74th birthday today, we’re offering this classic look at 10 facts about one of the actress’s earliest and most popular films: the 1963 musical hit Bye Bye Birdie, also starring Dick Van Dyke and Janet Leigh.

Set in 19th-century Ukraine, “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” explores doomed love, the urgency of memory, and the culture of the Hutsul people. Check out this MovieFanFare contribution to the Russia in Classic Film blogathon!

This week marks the Golden Anniversary of The Sound of Music’s debut, but quite a few popular movies also turn 50 in 2015. Vote in this week’s poll for your top 1965 film. Selections include Cat Ballou, Doctor Zhivago, Thunderball and many more.

One of Sidney Poitier’s best-loved roles was as an engineer who takes a teaching job at a school in London’s tough East End in To Sir, with Love. Guest blogger Rick29 offers his lesson on the 1967 film, which also features a memorable theme song by Lulu.

For the First Annual Buster Keaton Blogathon, MovieFanFare reviews the stone-faced funnyman’s final screen performance in the 1966 musical/comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, co-starring Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford and Phil Silvers.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Beatlemania coming to America. To celebrate the occasion, guest writer Greg Altum reviews the Fab Four’s first starring film, the 1964 “day in the life” comedy/concert classic A Hard Day’s Night